Western Kentucky University
College of
Education and Behavioral Sciences
Special
Instructional Programs
Syllabus Outline
Spring 2006
LTCY 420—Reading
in the Primary Grades
Office Hours: MW 10-12 and 1:30-3, T 10-12 E-mail: lucile.maples@wku.edu
Course Calendar: http://edtech.wku.edu/~lmaples/420calendar.htm
Required texts:
Bear, D. R., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S. & Johnston,
F. (2004). Words their way, 3rd
edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Burns, P. C. & Roe, B. D. (2001). Informal reading
inventory: Preprimer to twelfth
grade, 6th edition. Houghton Mifflin College.
Calkins, L. M. (1994). The art of teaching writing, New edition. Heinemann.
Yopp, R. H. & Yopp, H. K. (2005). Literature-based reading activities, 4th edition.
Allyn & Bacon.
Prerequisites: ELED 250, ELED 340, LTCY 320
Course Description: A second course in reading designed to offer a detailed view of the principles, materials, and methods of instruction for primary (K-4) school children. Field experiences in public schools and/or other appropriate settings away from campus are required in this course. Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to designated or assigned sites.
Course Rationale: This course will provide elementary education majors with the skills necessary to teach reading and writing concepts in ways that are developmentally appropriate for elementary students. The content will expand current understanding or reading and writing concepts and include a variety of teaching strategies to meet the needs of all children.
Course Objectives and Outcomes: Teacher education students can demonstrate knowledge of reading and writing concepts and developmentally appropriate instruction by providing evidence for each of Kentucky's New Teacher Standards (NTS):
I. Designs/plans
instruction
II. Creates/maintains
learning climates
III.
Implements/manages learning climates
IV. Assesses and communicates learning results
V. Reflects/evaluates teaching/learning
VI. Collaborates with colleagues/parents/others
VII.
Engages in professional development
VIII.
Knowledge of content
Course Disposition Statements:
The teacher values the development of the students' critical thinking,
independent problem solving, and performance capabilities.
The teacher values the role of students promoting each others learning and recognizes the importance of peer relationships in establishing a climate of learning.
The teacher appreciates the cultural dimensions of communication, responds appropriately, and seeks to foster culturally sensitive communication by and among all students in the class.
The teacher is committed to using assessment to identify student strengths and promotes student growth rather than to deny students access to learning opportunities.
The teacher is committed to reflection, assessment, and learning as an ongoing process.
KERA Elements Addressed:
1. Curriculum
Learner Goals
Performance
Tasks
Integrated
Curriculum
2. Performance Assessment
3. Expanded use of technology
4. Primary program (seven attributes)
Core Objectives
Supporting Objectives
Course Topics:
Philosophies of Reading Process
Word Identification
Comprehension
Vocabulary
Literature in the Classroom
Content Area Reading
Writing Process
Technology
Assessment
Interventions
Instructional Methods and Activities:
Lecture, demonstrations, discussion, group work, reading, written
assignments, Web-supported, field experiences.
Critical Student Performances:
Electronic
Literature-Based Instruction
Administering and Interpreting an
Informal Reading Inventory
These assignments MUST be posted to the Electronic Portfolio before a final grade can be given for this course. These assignments need to be produced electronically either in MS WORD (doc) or in Rich Text Format (rtf) so they can be uploaded to the Electronic Portfolio and opened by your instructor.
Evaluation and Grade
Assignments: Assessments
will include written assignments, cognitive tests, evaluation of lesson plans,
and performance events. The student must achieve minimum competency,
otherwise the course must be repeated. No grade can be issued until
all field hours have been completed. GUIDELINES FOR EACH ASSIGNMENT WILL
BE EXPLAINED AS IT IS INTRODUCED.
Attendance: Class attendance and active participation is expected. If you miss a class you are responsible for all work missed. More than two absences may result in the lowering of the final grade. Two tardies amount to one absence.
Assignments: All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date. Late assignments will be deducted 10% of the total possible score per class period. Assignments will not be accepted more than one week late except in extraordinary circumstances with advance discussion and agreement between student and instructor. This policy is instituted primarily to prevent students from becoming overloaded at the end of the semester.
It is expected that you will read and reflect on required readings PRIOR to each specified class session. Selected course readings will help you develop the knowledge and theoretical base needed for teaching diverse learners in a reading/language arts classroom.
Course Requirements and Evaluation:
TASK 1: Class participation and
professionalism (75 points)
a. Professionalism (25 points): One of the most important aspects of becoming
a teacher is learning appropriate professional behavior. Professionalism is expected in both the college classroom and your field experience classroom.
· College classroom professionalism includes: arriving and departing class at the appropriate time, coming prepared by having chapters already reviewed and assignments ready to turn in to the professor, and treating both classmates and professor in a respectful manner in both classroom discussions and emails.
· Field experience professionalism includes:
i. ALWAYS arriving at the time agreed upon with your field experience teacher. (If an emergency arises and you cannot be there, BE SURE TO CONTACT YOUR PLACEMENT TEACHER.)
ii. Dressing appropriately—This means NO sweat pants, flip-flops, or bellies showing. You are no longer a student in this setting, rather a potential teacher. Preferred dress includes tucked-in shirts with skirt (not too short) or pants for ladies and collared shirts and slacks for men. Jeans are borderline for both ladies and men.
iii. Show initiative in the classroom. Don’t just sit there. Ask the teacher what you can do. Notice students that might need additional assistance with an assignment. Be pro-active!
b. Class participation (50 points): This course is built upon an actively engaged community of learners. Central to your success in this course is your reading of selections before class so that you can be involved in class discussions. Several short assignments will involve you teaching your fellow classmates what you have learned in your own personal research and study. Establishing and working within small groups will also be an important component of this class.
a. Writing Journals: Before the second class period, you will cover and
decorate your personal book for journaling (10 points). There will be in-
class writing assignments and reflecting each class period. Also, each week
you will spend approximately 20 minutes writing in your journal on topics of
your choice. You will maintain a record of your writing and turn in both the
record and the journal near the end of the semester. Writing journal entries
will count 40 points for a total of 50
points.
b. Author’s Chair: Within the context of Writing Workshop, you will select
one of your writing samples, revise it, prepare it for publication, and then read
it to the class. The final copy of your article/story/poem must be typed.
Initial drafts (2) will be turned in with the final copy. Initial drafts do not
need to be typed. (50 points)
c. Annotated
Bibliography: You will create your
own “ideal” classroom library of 50 children’s books. Your annotated bibliography of these books
will include at least 6 categories of your choice with at least 5 books in each
category. You will also write rationales for your categories and books
selections. (50 points)
TASK 3: Teaching
in the elementary classroom (100 points)
You will create FIVE lessons that you will implement in your assigned elementary classroom. Before teaching each lesson, you will work with your cooperating teacher to determine the skills most appropriate for your students. You will turn in a lesson plan to your cooperating teacher prior to teaching the lesson to a small group or large class of students. After teaching the lesson, you will turn in the lesson and a reflection of how it went to your WKU professor. Lessons will include:
a. Phonics
b. Vocabulary
c. Pre-reading,
during reading, and post-reading
d. Writing
e. Comprehension
skills/strategies
Lessons may or may not be connected to a read-aloud picture book.
Format for lesson plans:
Your name:
Your classroom and grade level:
Number of students you are teaching:
Title of lesson:
Materials needed:
Procedure: Step-by-step details of how you would teach the lesson. Be detailed enough so that I could take your lesson and teach it myself to your classroom if you were absent.
Assessment:
Reflection:
a. Analytic Spelling Inventory and
Word Sort (25
points): Use Words Their Way to administer a spelling
inventory, interpret results, plan instruction, and teach word sort
lessons.
b. Administering and Interpreting an Informal Reading Inventory (50 points): Teachers in primary classrooms are predominantly responsible for helping their students acquire good literacy skills. Both in Kentucky and nationwide, the goal is for students to read on grade level by the third grade. Therefore, teachers need to be able to determine which areas of literacy are areas of strength and which are areas for improvement. The informal reading inventory is an assessment tool that can aid the primary teacher in determining word knowledge, listening abilities, and independent, instructional, and frustration levels of reading ability.
TASK 5: Technology training (100 points)
Electronic Literature-Based
Instruction (100
points)
You will create your own web
page following instruction given in class.
You will also create a WebQuest using an exemplary picture book. Your WebQuest will include both teacher and
student pages and literacy instruction for vocabulary development and
pre/during/and post reading strategies for increased comprehension of
print.
TASK 5: Final exam (50 points)
You will create two original books using the formats provided by Yopp
& Yopp. You may have your elementary
students help in the creation of these books.
Books will be presented to the entire class during the final exam
period.
Total
Class Points: 550 + 50 Block Points = 600 total class points
|
Grade |
Percentage |
Points |
|
A |
93 - 100% |
558-600 |
|
B |
85 - 92% |
510-557 |
|
C |
77 - 84% |
462-509 |
|
D |
70 –76% |
420-461 |
|
F |
69% and below |
419 and below |
Course Assignments |
550 points |
|
Block Assignments |
50 points |
|
Course Total |
600 points |
Note concerning ALL lesson plans and teaching experiences: Before teaching the lesson you must give the classroom teacher a copy of your lesson plan (the URL to your WebQuest). Failure to follow these guidelines could result in delayed scheduling of your teaching experience.
Recipe for SUCCESS: Get organized. Get a calendar. Get a watch. USE the calendar and the watch. READ the material before you come to class. I am NOT going to tell you what the book says. I am going to engage you in grand conversations and discussions about WHAT it says.
Plagiarism Policy:
To represent ideas or interpretations taken from another source as one's own is
plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offense. The academic work of
students must be their own. Students must give the author(s) credit for
any source material used. To lift content directly from a source without
giving credit is a flagrant act. To present a borrowed passage after
having changed a few words, even if the source is cited, is also plagiarism.
Disability Accommodations Statement:
"Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic
adjustment and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact the
Office for Student Disability Services, Room 445, Potter Hall. The OFSDS
telephone number is (270) 745-5004 V/TDD. Please DO NOT request accommodations
directly from the professor or instructor without a letter of accommodation
from the Office for Student Disability Services.
The Fine Print: The following statements should be noted carefully.
1. You are
required to attend all field experience days. If you miss any time in the field
you must make that time up by planning an alternative time with your
teacher. I have to receive written notification by you (email is fine)
that you have made up the time. Any falsification of field time will
endanger your continuance in this course and possibly your program of study at
WKU.
2. All field activities must be attended IN FULL.
3. ALL ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE GRADED FOR CONTENT AND MECHANICS.
4. Please keep a copy of all assignments handed in. In the highly unlikely event that an assignment is lost, you will need to provide another copy in a timely manner.
5. Late assignments will be deducted 10% of the total possible score per class period. Assignments will not be accepted more than one week late except in extraordinary circumstances with advance discussion and agreement between student and instructor.
6. My expectations
are high, but my goal is for you to be successful and to leave this university
with the skills you need to be the best reading teacher possible.
The previously-stated policy on late work applies even in circumstances when the student is given an incomplete ("X") for failure to upload an assignment to the Electronic Portfolio System. Students requesting an incomplete for another reason must contact the instructor to ask for an incomplete, which may or may not be granted, depending on the instructor's judgment regarding the circumstances of the student's request. According to the catalog on Undergraduate Catalog p.28/Graduate Catalog, p.13, “A grade of ‘X’ (incomplete) is given only when a relatively small amount of work is not completed because of illness or other reason satisfactory to the instructor. “An ‘X’ received by a student will automatically become an “F” unless removed within twelve (12) weeks of the next full term (summer excluded). The grade of ‘X’ will continue to appear as the initial grade on the student’s transcript, along with the revised grade.
Please turn off all cell phones.
Supplementary Resources:
Allington, R.L., & Walmsley, S.A. (1995). No quick fix. New York, NY: Teacher’s
College Press.
Atwell, N. (987). In the middle: Writing, reading, and learning with adolescents.
Montclair, NJ: Boynton/Cook.
Clay, M.M. (1979). The early detection of reading difficulties. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.
Cunningham, P.M. (1991). Phonics they use: Words for reading and writing. NY:
Harper-Collins.
Delpit, L. (1995). Other people’s children: Cultural conflict in the classroom. NY: New
Press.
Henderson, E. (1990). Teaching spelling (2nd Ed.). Boston: Houghton-Mifflin.
Kobrin, B. (1988). Eyeopeners! NY: Penguin Books.
Morrow, L.M. (1997). Literacy
development in the early years: Helping children read and
write. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
McMahon, S.I., & Raphael, T.E.
(1997). The book club connection: Literacy learning and
classroom talk. NY: Teacher’s College Press.
Routman, R. (1991). Invitations: Changing as teachers and learners. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.
Journals:
Elementary School Journal Reading Research Quarterly
Language Arts
The Journal for Adolescent & Adult Literacy
Reading Improvement
The Journal for Literacy Research
Reading Psychology
The Reading Teacher
Reading Research & Instruction
Reading Horizons
Web Site Addresses:
Teacher-oriented sites:
Kentucky Department of Education http://www.kde.state.ky.us
International Reading Association http://www.reading.org
Children’s Literature Web Guide http://www.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown
ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading English & Communication http://www.indiana.edu/~eric_rec/index.html
Booklist (reviews) http://www.ala.org/booklist/
Child-oriented sites:
Kids on the Web http://www.zen.org/~brendan/kids.html
Jan Brett’s Home Page http://www.janbrett.com
Ann Arbor District Library Kid’s
Page http://www.annarbor.lib.mi.us/kidspg/kidspg2.html